Minister Poilievre discusses the Canada-EU Trade with local Agricultural Producers and Food Processors
Ottawa, Ontario, January 6, 2014 – The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, Minister of State (Democratic Reform), met today with a group of local farmers where he highlighted how Ontario agricultural producers will profit from the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
“This historic agreement is Canada’s most comprehensive and ambitious ever and is a big win for Canada’s agricultural and agri-food industries,” said Minister Poilievre. “Eastern Ontario producers, workers and families will benefit greatly from the preferential access this agreement provides Canadian produce and products to Europe, one of the most important markets in the world.”
CETA will not only open new markets for raw ingredients, it will open up new markets for the food processing and beverage industry. Ontario’s multi-faceted agriculture and agri-food sector is one of the largest and most competitive food clusters in the world. The agriculture, agri-food and beverage sector contributed $15 billion to the province’s GDP in 2012 and employed some 212,500 Ontarians. Of these, more than a third work in the manufacturing end of the industry.
When the Canada-EU trade agreement is fully implemented, more than 95 percent of EU agricultural tariffs will be eliminated, including those levied on processed agricultural products and beverages.
CETA will not affect Canada’s supply management system, which will remain as robust as ever. The supply management system and its three key pillars (production control, import controls and price controls) will remain intact and the vast majority of supply-managed products will be exempt from increases in market access.
Ontario is the largest food-and-beverage processing jurisdiction in Canada and among the three largest in North America. Its researchers, employees and innovators have built a stellar reputation for sustainable sources of agricultural raw materials, state-of-the-art automated food-processing methods and world-class food safety standards. The EU is already Ontario’s second-largest export destination and trading partner. It is also the world’s largest integrated economy, with more than 500 million consumers and a GDP of $17 trillion. CETA will create an opportunity for increased sales that will benefit hard-working farmers through more jobs, higher wages and greater long-term prosperity.
For more information on how the Canada-EU trade agreement will benefit Ontario, please visit Benefits for Ontario.
For more information on the vast benefits of this agreement to every region of Canada, please visit Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (http://actionplan.gc.ca/CETA).
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Media Relations
Gabrielle Renaud-Mattey
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Pierre Poilievre
Minister of State (Democratic Reform)
613-943-1835